Apparatus and method for controlling segmented conveyor system

Abstract

A conveyor system includes a plurality of transit conveyors having a controller utilizing a logic scheme to selectively implement a time delay before authorizing transport of an article from an adjacent preceding conveyor to the transit conveyor, thereby maintaining and adjusting the gap between objects conveyed by the system. The invention includes a method of spacing the articles including (1) receiving an input signal with a controller associated with an individual transit conveyor indicating an article ready for transit from the preceding conveyor to the transit conveyor, (2) determining whether an object is present on the transit conveyor (3) generating a time delay when an article is present on the transit conveyor, and (4) transmitting an authorization signal to the preceding conveyor authorizing the transfer of an article from the preceding conveyor to the transit conveyor after the time delay has elapsed.

1 . A conveyor system comprising: 
 a plurality of conveyors arranged end-to-end for transporting articles along the length thereof, including a plurality of transit conveyors, each transit conveyor being disposed between adjacent conveyors;    at least some of the transit conveyors further comprising a controller, the controller controlling the operation of each such transit conveyor to receive conveyed articles from a preceding conveyor and convey the articles to a succeeding conveyor according to a predetermined logic scheme;    each controller maintaining selected spacing between articles conveyed from the transit conveyor to the succeeding conveyor, the controller delaying transfer of articles to regenerate the spacing between articles which are spaced less than a predetermined distance apart in accordance with the logic scheme.    
     
     
         2 . The conveyor system of  claim 1  wherein the adjacent preceding conveyor conveys an article to the transit conveyor only upon receiving an authorization from the transit conveyor controller.  
     
     
         3 . The conveyor system of  claim 1  wherein the transit conveyor conveys an article to the adjacent succeeding conveyor only upon receiving an authorization from the adjacent succeeding conveyor controller.  
     
     
         4 . The conveyor system of  claim 1  wherein the controller for each such transit conveyor implements a time delay logic scheme to delay authorization for transport of an article from an adjacent preceding conveyor to the transit conveyor.  
     
     
         5 . The conveyor system of  claim 1  where each transit conveyor includes at least one sensor for detecting the presence of an object to be conveyed.  
     
     
         6 . The conveyor system of  claim 5  wherein the sensor is a photo electric cell.  
     
     
         7 . The conveyor system of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined logic scheme comprises a set of set of instructions programmed into a memory unit associated with the controller.  
     
     
         8 . The conveyor system of  claim 1  wherein the controller further comprises a hard wired circuit for implementing the predetermined logic scheme.  
     
     
         9 . A method of controlling the spacing of articles conveyed on a conveyor system including a plurality of transit conveyors, each transit conveyor arranged in an end to end fashion between adjacent preceding and succeeding conveyors, the method comprising: 
 receiving an input signal with a transit conveyor controller associated with an individual transit conveyor, the signal indicating the presence of an article ready for transit from the preceding conveyor to the transit conveyor;    determining whether an object is present on the transit conveyor;    generating a time delay when an article is present on the transit conveyor; and    transmitting an authorization signal to the preceding conveyor, the signal authorizing the transfer of an article from the preceding conveyor to the transit conveyor after the time delay has elapsed.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein each transit conveyor controller receives and transmits authorization signals to and from a preceding transit conveyor and a succeeding transit conveyor.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of determining whether an article is present on the transit conveyor further comprises transmitting a signal from a sensor associated with the transit conveyor to the transit conveyor controller.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the sensor is a photo electric cell.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of detecting whether a jam has occurred on the transit conveyor.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of detecting whether an article transferred to the transit conveyor has been conveyed across the conveyor.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of generating an error signal when an article transferred from a preceding conveyor has not been conveyed across the transit conveyor within a predetermined time period. 
 A method  
 at least some of the transit conveyors further comprising a controller, the controller controlling the operation of each such transit conveyor to receive conveyed articles from a preceding conveyor and convey the articles to a succeeding conveyor according to a predetermined logic scheme;  
 each controller maintaining selected spacing between articles conveyed from the transit conveyor to the succeeding conveyor, the controller delaying transfer of articles to regenerate the spacing between articles which are spaced less than a predetermined distance apart in accordance with the logic scheme.